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Ladybird

Lady beetles

Asian multicolored lady beetle
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Subclass: Pterygota
Superorder: Neoptera
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Coccinellidae
Genera
Subfamily Coccidulinae
Tribe Lithophilini
   Lithophilus
Tribe Monocorynini
   Mimolithophilus
   Monocoryna
Tribe Coccidulini
   Adoxellus
   Auladoria
   Botynella
   Bucolinus
   Bucolus
   Bura
   Coccidula
   Cranoryssus
   Empia
   Epipleuria
   Eupalea
   Erithionyx
   Eupaleoides
   Geodimmockius
   Hazisia
   Hypoceras
   Microrhizobius
   Mimoscymnus
   Nothocolus
   Nothorhyzobius
   Orbipressus
   Orynipus
   Paracranoryssus
   Planorbata
   Psorolyma
   Rhyzobius
   Rodatus
   Stenadalia
   Stenococcus
   Syntona
Tribe Noviini
   Anovia
   Eurodolia
   Novius
   Rodolia
   Vedalia
Tribe Poriini
   Poria
Tribe Exoplectrini
   Ambrocharis
   Anisorhizobius
   Aulis
   Chapinella
   Chnoodes
   Coeliaria
   Cyrtaulis
   Dioria
   Discoceras
   Exoplectra
   Neorhizobius
   Neoryssomus
   Hovaulis
   Oridia
   Peralda
   Rhizoryssomus
   Siola
   Sumnius
Tribe Azyini
   Azya
   Pseudoazya
Tribe Cranophorini
   Cassiculus
   Cranophorus
Tribe Oryssomini
   Oryssomus
   Pseudoryssomus
Subfamily Coccinellinae
Tribe Singhikalini
   Singhikalia
Tribe Coccinellini
   Aages
   Adalia
   Ailocaria
   Alloneda
   Anatis
   Anisolemnia
   Anisosticta
   Antineda
   Anegleis
   Aphidecta
   Archegleis
   Australoneda
   Autotela
   Bothrocalvia
   Callicaria
   Calvia
   Cheilomenes
   Chloroneda
   Cirocolla
   Cleobora
   Clynis
   Coccinella
   Chelonitis
   Coccinella
   Coccinula
   Coelophora
   Coleomegilla
   Cycloneda
   Declivitata
   Docimocaria
   Dysis
   Egleis
   Eoadalia
   Eoanemia
   Eriopis
   Erythroneda
   Eumegilla
   Harmonia
   Heterocaria
   Heteroneda
   Hippodamia
   Hysia
   Illeis
   Lemnia
   Lioadalia
   Macronaemia
   Megalocaria
   Megillina
   Micraspis
   Microcaria
   Microneda
   Mononeda
   Mulsantina
   Myrrha
   Myzia
   Naemia
   Neda
   Nedina
   Neocalvia
   Neoharmonia
   Nesis
   Oenopia
   Oiocaria
   Olla
   Oxytella
   Palaeoneda
   Paranaemia
   Phrynolemnia
   Procula
   Propylea
   Pseudadonia
   Pseudoenopia
   Sospita
   Sphaeroneda
   Spiloneda
   Synona
   Synonycha
   Xanthadalia
Tribe Halyziini
   Eothea
   Halyzia
   Macroilleis
   Metamyrrha
   Microneda
   Neohalyzia
   Oxytella
   Protothea
   Psyllobora
   Vibidia
Tribe Tytthaspidini
   Bulaea
   Isora
   Tytthaspis
Tribe Discotomini
   Discotoma
   Euseladia
   Pristonema
   Seladia
   Vodella
Subfamily Scymninae
Tribe Aspidimerini
   Acarinus
   Aspidimerus
   Cryptogonus
   Pseudaspidimerus
Tribe Stethorini
   Stethorus
   Parastethorus
Tribe Scymnini
   Acoccidula
   Aponephus
   Apseudoscymnus
   Axinoscymnus
   Clitostethus
   Cryptolaemus
   Cycloscymnus
   Cyrema
   Didion
   Horniolus
   Keiscymnus
   Leptoscymnus
   Midus
   Nephaspis
   Nephus
   Depressoscymnus
   Geminosipho
   Nephus
   Parascymnus
   Scymnobius
   Sidis
   Parasidis
   Propiptus
   Pseudoscymnus
   Scymniscus
   Scymnodes
   Scymnomorpha
   Scymnus
   Veronicobius
Tribe Diomini
   Decadiomus
   Diomus
   Heterodiomus
   Magnodiomus
   Erratodiomus
Tribe Scymnillini
   Viridigloba
   Zagloba
   Zilus
Tribe Selvadiini
   Selvadius
Tribe Hyperaspidini
   Blaisdelliana
   Corystes
   Helesius
   Hyperaspidius
   Hyperaspis
   Thalassa
   Tiphysa
Tribe Brachiacanthadini
   Brachiacantha
   Cyra
   Hinda
Tribe Pentiliini
   Calloeneis
   Curticornis
   Pentilia
Tribe Cryptognathini
   Cryptognatha
Subfamily Ortaliinae
Tribe Ortaliini
   Amida
   Amidellus
   Anortalia
   Azoria
   Cinachyra
   Ortalia
   Ortalistes
   Paramida
   Rhynchortalia
   Scymnhova
   Zenoria
Subfamily Chilocorinae
Tribe Telsimiini
   Hypocyrema
   Telsimia
Tribe Platynaspidini
   Crypticolus
   Platynaspis
Tribe Chilocorini
   Anisorcus
   Arawana
   Axion
   Brumoides
   Brumus
   Chilocorus
   Cladia
   Curinus
   Egius
   Endochilus
   Exochomus
   Halmus
   Harpasus
   Orcus
   Parapriasus
   Phaenochilus
   Priasus
   Priscibrumus
   Simmondsius
   Trichorcus
   Xanthocorus
   Zagreus
Subfamily Sticholotidinae
Tribe Sukunahikonini
   Hikonasukuna
   Orculus
   Paraphellus
Tribe Cephaloscymnini
   Aneaporia
   Cephaloscymnus
   Neaporia
   Prodilis
   Prodiloides
Tribe Microweiseini
   Coccidophilus
   Cryptoweisea
   Dichaina
   Diloponis
   Gnathoweisea
   Microcapillata
   Microfreudea
   Microweisea
   Nipus
   Pseudosmilia
   Sarapidus
   Stictospilus
Tribe Carinodulini
   Carinodula
   Carinodulina
   Carinodulinka
Tribe Serangiini
   Catana
   Catanella
   Delphastus
   Microserangium
   Serangiella
   Serangium
Tribe Shirozuellini
   Ghanius
   Medamatento
   Promecopharus
   Sasajiella
   Shirozuella
Tribe Plotinini
   Ballida
   Buprestodera
   Catanaplotina
   Haemoplotina
   Paraplotina
   Plotina
   Protoplotina
   Sphaeroplotina
Tribe Sticholotidini
   Boschalis
   Bucolellus
   Chilocorellus
   Coelolotis
   Coelopterus
   Filipinolotis
   Glomerella
   Habrolotis
   Hemipharus
   Jauravia
   Lenasa
   Lotis
   Mimoserangium
   Neaptera
   Nelasa
   Neojauravia
   Neotina
   Nesina
   Nesolotis
   Nexophallus
   Paracoelopterus
   Parajauravia
   Paranelasa
   Paranesolotis
   Parinesa
   Pharopsis
   Pharoscymnus
   Phlyctenolotis
   Semiviride
   Sticholotis
   Stictobura
   Sulcolotis
   Synonychimorpha
   Trimallena
   Xamerpillus
   Xanthorcus
   Xestolotis
Tribe Limnichopharini
   Limnichopharus
Tribe Argentipilosini
   Argentipilosa
Subfamily Epilachninae
Tribe Epilachnini
   Adira
   Afidenta
   Afidentula
   Afissula
   Afilachna
   Chnootriba
   Epilachna
   Henosepilachna
   Macrolasia
   Subafissa
   Subcoccinella
   Toxotoma
Tribe Epivertini
   Epiverta
Tribe Madaini
   Bambusicola
   Cynegetis
   Damatula
   Lorma
   Mada
   Malata
   Megatela
   Merma
   Pseudodira
   Tropha
Tribe Eremochilini
   Eremochilus

Ladybirds (Commonwealth English), also known as ladybugs (American English) or lady beetles (some scientists favor this) are a family, Coccinellidae ("little sphere"), of beetles. Ladybirds are found worldwide, with over 4,500 species described, more than 450 native to North America alone. Ladybirds are small insects, ranging from 1 mm to 10 mm, and are usually yellow, orange, or red with small black spots on their carapace, and black legs, head and feelers. As the family name suggests, they are usually quite round in shape.

Ladybirds are extremely beneficial to organic gardeners because most species are carnivorous, consuming aphids, fruit flies, thrips, and other tiny plant-sucking insects that damage crops. In fact, their name is derived from "Beetle of Our Lady", recognizing their role in saving crops from destruction. Today they are commercially available from a variety of suppliers.

Adult ladybirds are able to reflex-bleed from their leg joints. The blood is yellow, with a strong repellent smell, and is quite obvious when one handles a ladybird roughly.

The ladybird is immortalised in the children's nursery rhyme:

Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home
Your house is on fire and your children are gone
All except one, and that's Little Anne
For she has crept under the warming pan.

The ladybird is the symbol of the Dutch Foundation against Senseless Violence. [1]

Notable species: (note, not all individuals show the number of spots suggested by their names)


P-14 lady beetle consuming an aphid

References

External links


Ladybird is also a British children's clothing label of the 1960s and 1970s


Ladybird Books is a children's book publisher, based in Loughborough, England, noted for publishing small-format, short hardcovers illustrated in full colour, with some condensed from classic children's novels.


Ladybird, Ladybird (1995), is a movie directed by Ken Loach, about a woman losing custody of her four children.